Social worker Bhaiyyaji admitted to hospital
Noted social worker Rajendra Nath Srivastava aka Bhaiyyaji ,86, was admitted to cardiac ICU of Shyama Prasad Mukherji hospital in a serious condition on Sunday. The residents of the city, who once knew him well, now have no thought for him and so the man who helped others throughout his life is alone with family.
Noted social worker Rajendra Nath Srivastava alias Bhaiyyaji ,86, is admitted to cardiac ICU of Shyama Prasad Mukherji hospital in a serious condition.
The residents of the city, who once knew him well, now have no thought for him and so the man who helped others throughout his life is alone with his family .
Bhaiyyaji’s nephew Ajay Kumar said, “I am shocked at the apathy of the people. Politicians who once crowded around Bhaiyyaji during elections have forgotten him totally today.”
A close friend of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bhaiyyaji is also a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party .
He joined BJP on the insistence of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Born on November 16 , 1930 in Badaun, Bhaiyyaji came to Lucknow with his family as his father was deputy director of state malaria department.
His family settled in Saket Palli area of Narhi. He completed his intermediate from Lucknow Christian college and MSW from Lucknow University. But unlike his father, he refused to take up a government job and preferred to join the freedom struggle.
After independence, he became a social worker and a journalist. He worked for Blitz and The Pioneer before becoming corporator in 1959.
His life turned around when he came into contact with Mother Teresa in 1967. He played an important role in establishing Prem Niwas and leprosy centre at Mohanlalganj. He also played an important role in setting up of Literacy House in 1955 when he worked with Louis Fischer.
Bhaiyyaji remained unmarried as he preferred social work over family.
His nephew Ajay Kumar said, “People must be hesitating to come to see him because they might be thinking that we would ask for help. Many politicians who are ministers now visited him when in need of votes but now that they are in power they have forgotten him.”
People must be hesitating to come to see him because they might be thinking that we would ask for help. Many politicians who are ministers now visited him when in need of votes but now that they are in power they have forgotten him. AJAY KUMAR, Bhaiyyaji’s nephew